defence

Noun

• the act of defending someone or something against attack or injury
  • a good boxer needs a good defense
    
  • defense against hurricanes is an urgent problem
    

• protection from harm
  • sanitation is the best defense against disease
    

• (military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
  • they died in the defense of Stalingrad
    
  • they were developed for the defense program
    

• a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him
  • he gave evidence for the defense
    

• a structure used to defend against attack
  • the artillery battered down the defenses
    

• the justification for some act or belief
  • he offered a persuasive defense of the theory
    

• the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions
  • his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive
    
  • in defense he said the other man started it
    

• an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack
  • he joined the defense against invasion
    

• the defendant and his legal advisors collectively
  • the defense called for a mistrial
    

• (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring
  • his teams are always good on defense
    

• (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  defense , defensive measure , denial , demurrer , defensive structure , vindication , refutation , defense force , defence force , defense team , defense lawyers , defending team , defense mechanism , defense reaction , defence mechanism , defence reaction
• Antonyms: 
  prosecution , criminal prosecution , offense , offence